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(No ModeL) BUFFING ROLL.

No. 417,730. Patented Dec. 24, 1889.

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' V UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS E. KEAVY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO A..A. TILLOTSON, OF SAME PLACE.

BUFFlNG-ROLL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 41 7,730, dated December 24, 1889.

Application filed January 23, 1888- Serial No. 261,628. (No modeld To all whom} it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. KEAVY, a .citizen of theUnited States, residing at Ole veland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buffing-Rolls; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in buffing-rolls; and the object of the invention is to provide a roll that is automatically expansible when revolved, all as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2.represent a roll having rubber rings or disks at its ends and an intermediate spool of wood. Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate a form of roll having alternate rings of rubber and wood,

respectively. Fig. 5 shows a form of roll in.

which sectional rubber rolls or ringsare eina ployed with flanged holders at the ends of the sections.

The distinguishing feature of this invention is automatic expansionof the rolls or wheels I when the same are revolved. Hitherto, as far as I am aware, all rolls and wheels employed in buffing boots and shoes were expanded by hand after the sand-paper cover had been.

placed thereon. When the ordinary elongated roll was used, a sand-paper tube or sleeve was slipped over the roll at its free end, after which the roll was forcibly distended by compression from its ends'until the sand-paper tube or sleeve was stretched to fit tightly upon the roll. This being done, the roll was considered ready for work; but it will be observed that both time and labor were required to fasten the paper sleeve on the roll, as well as to remove it therefrom when worn outa result which occurred many times a day with the old machines, and necessarily consuming in the aggregate much valuable time. By my construction the rolls, when once set up, can work on for an indefinite time Without any hand adjustment or change whatever in the mechanism, and when a paper sleeve is found 50 no longer serviceable it can be removed and i: replaced by another in a moment and by the most unskilled workman.

The spirit of the invention resides in this fact: The roll being so constructed that normally it has less diameter than the sleeve, so that when it is at rest it is smaller in crosssection than the hollow of the sleeve, and when at work swells out and expands so as to fill the sleeve to its capacity, and thereby fastens it as tightlyas the work requires, it follows, therefore, that when the roll is at rest the papersleeve is loose upon it and gradually tightens thereon as thespeed of the roll runs up to working velocity. The invention therefore will be seen to comprise a rolladapted to operate as here indicated, and capable of automatic expansion by the force of its velocity or the centrifugal force exerted when the rollis under motion.- It will be understood that these rolls are frequently run at a rate of speed amounting to three thousand revolutions or over per minute, in which case the centrifugal tendency is very great and the roll must be firmly constructed not to fly from its holdings.

I have show-11in the drawings several forms of roller and wheel in which the principle of my invention is illustrated. From the scope of these it will be obvious that many other analogous forms might be suggested to per- 80 form the same function, but it is thought that these will sufficeto guide those skilled in the art in the construction of a roll or wheel of the character embraced in the invention.

Referring first to the form of roll shown in Figs. 1 and 2, A represents the arbor, and B a sleeve flanged at b to form a backing, against which the roll is more or less tightly clamped by a flanged nut O and nut 11 at the opposite o .extremity of the roll and at the free end of the arbor. The sleeve has a shoulder c at its outer extremity, which bears against a shoulder 17 on the arbor, formed by reducing 'its'end, which is screw-threaded for the tight- 5 'ening of nut d.

means are common to the forms of roll shown in Fig. 3 and with slightmodification in Fig. 5.

Referring again to Fig. 1, E represents two rubber disks or rings fitting upon the sleeve B and separated by a wooden spool F. It will be observed that the spool F is reduced in cross-section, so as to sink below the periphery of the rubber more or less, except at its ends, which extend out flush with the rubber, or nearly so. Then around the whole rubber and spool I place a covering of felt or other soft fabricsuch as woolen stockingscut to a suitable length and narrow enough to fit somewhat closely on the roll. Several layers of covering may be used, so as to cushion the roll materially and give it such yielding surface as is best adapted to give the work the desired action and finish. The construction of this roll, Fig. 1, is, however, pe-

finish, while the action of the roll over the rubber is more harsh and severe. The first part of the work on a heel may, therefore, be done over the rubber and the finishing over the spool toward or about its center.

It may be further stated that in carrying out my invention I employ a quality of rubber of such softness and elasticity that it will swell out and expand around its entire periphery as the roll attains its working velocity in such manner as to tighten the sandpaper tube or sleeve G thereon. The fact that the rubber is fitted closely on the sleeve surrounding the arbor holds itin its place alike at all points upon the arbor, and enables it to swell or expand evenly around its periphery.

it were not so held or were removed from the arbor with mere side supports, and if it were elastic enough to expand, the high velocity of the roll would cast it oil at a tangent. come this effect by supporting the rubber upon the arbor, as shown, and then by clamping laterally and wit-l1 moderate elasticity get the desired expansion,but no more. Then when the machine is at rest the rubber contracts to I its normal size, and the sleeve or sand-paper cover, which was tight when at work, becomes loose and can be easily slipped off, if desired. The flexible cushioning upon the cover partakes of the expansion of the rubber under high velocity, thus at all times giving the needed resistance to the pressure brought upon it in the process of buffing-a resistance that at no time need be great, but always necessarily even and yielding.

In Fig. 3 is shown a form of roll in which are employed a series of rubber rings E, alternated by a series of wooden rings or disks F, and in Fig. 5 I employ two rubbers, supported in the center by a T-shaped ring H, the flanges h of which engage the ends of the rubber sections. Short flanges are also employed at the extremities for a like purpose, thus preventing expansion of the rubber sections at the ends as well as their displacement, and throwing the swell toward the center.

Having thus described my invent-ion, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a buffing-machine, a roll on a shaft having a cylindrical bearing fitting closely upon the shaft, angular flanges at the end of the sleeve serving as end supports for the roll, elastic expansible material closely surrounding the sleeve Within the flanges, acushion of flexible material built upon the elastic expansible material, and a sleeve covered with an abrading material and of greater diameter than the cushion, whereby when the roll is at rest the sleeve will be loose on the roll, and

when the roll is at work it will be tightened by the expansion of the elastic and flexible material, substantially as set forth.

THOMAS E. KEAVY. Witnesses:

H. T. FISHER, I. L. COREY.

I over- 

